This is the best reference check question I ever heard
From Adventures in Job Seeking, Episode 5 with Ted Drost
Video link here. But I won't bury the lede:
"Tell me about a time when Ted demonstrated empathy in the workplace."
Honestly, most reference checks are a go-through-the-motions formality. Anyone can find 2-3 people to say something nice about them. I can count on one hand the amount of bad reference checks that blew an offer in the last 20 years.
Many companies view them as a cover-your-ass process should things blow up later. Validation, not vetting.
But this? Love it. Two fold:
1. You have to stop and think about it. No one has a stock answer ready for that, nor is anyone creative enough to invent an answer on the spot.
2. If there was any doubt beforehand, the candidate - Ted Drost - was 100% all-in. The CEO asked this. THAT is the kind of leader you want to work for.
You can check out the full Adventures in Job Seeking show here, follow me on LinkedIn here and join the discuss on the LinkedIn post here.